The Company Behind Starbucks' New Delivery Option

If you love getting your favorite Starbucks drink hand-delivered to your door in the easiest way possible, Starbucks' new delivery partnership just knocked down a major barrier. If none of the coffee chain's 16,000-plus stores are quite close enough to you, or if you are just too busy to swing by, getting your drink pick-me-up delivered can be a nice treat. But Starbucks' previous system was a little scattershot. 

The company started offering delivery for the first time in 2018 through Uber Eats, and has expanded to also use DoorDash and GrubHub, but that option was previously only available through those companies' respective apps. Well, Starbucks clearly has a favorite among those three, because starting in November 2024, it has partnered with DoorDash for a new delivery system that is now available in the Starbucks app itself.

Prior to this partnership, order-ahead services at Starbucks were limited to pick-up, but now customers can toggle between that and a new delivery option, powered by DoorDash's platform. Those who prefer DoorDash will still be able to use its app as well, although it's unclear as of now whether third party ordering through GrubHub and Uber Eats will still be supported. And while this is a big upgrade for users of the Starbucks app, the company does say in its press release that delivery will be limited to "participating stores" in the U.S. and Canada, so your local shop may not be in on the delivery game just yet.

Starbucks' new in-app delivery is certainly a convenience for loyal customers, but as anyone who uses any of these food delivery services knows, they have issues – and one is that service doesn't come cheap. The press release shows a delivery fee of $1.99, although it does not explain if this will be higher by region. And despite being made in the Starbucks app, orders will also incur DoorDash's service charge, which can be around 15% of the subtotal. Finally, there is another $2 "small order fee" if your subtotal is below a certain amount, and you also have your tip on top of that. Some states will have additional fees tied to delivery apps as well. 

So, using Starbucks delivery looks to be a better deal if it's spread over larger orders, because your standard $6 drink could end up costing more than double that if you get it delivered. It also appears that the in-app experience with delivery is still a work in progress. Saving favorites in the app will still only be limited to pick-up for the time being, and delivery history, and information like your address, cannot be saved as well. Still, being able to earn Starbucks Rewards, which were revamped in 2023, through delivery is a nice new perk, and Starbucks die-hards will likely appreciate having more of a one-stop shop for a delivery treat.